The Favorite
by evershort
Summary: We know Kensi's the favorite agent to Callen, but how did that happen?


**A/N: Well, my mind wanders a lot…and since NCIS: LA is probably my favorite show at the moment, ideas come to me that beg to be written…it's just whether or not I post them, is the thing. Oh, and Dom is alive. This really has nothing to do with anything episode wise, unless you count their 'assigned seats', so I decided he'd live. **

**Disclaimer: I think just the fact that it says 'disclaimer' says all. **

The special agents all sat at their respective desks, chatting and bickering as usual. Jokes were made, insults were tossed, and faces were made, along with the occasional hand gesture that came mostly from Kensi.

It had been a lazy day, mostly devoted to paper work that had been tossed aside in frustration or lack of motivation. Eric and Nate were off getting lunch, and it was assumed that Hetty was in her area, or secretly watching the team as it was suspected she did.

"Do you think Hetty plays favorites?" Dom asked curiously. Everyone stopped talking, but their smiles were still in place.

"Of course she does," G laughed. "Why do you think she always lets me crash here?"

Sam looked at him incredulously. "She let's you sleep here cause you're never happy with your current place." Kensi nodded in agreement.

"Besides," Sam continued, leaning back into his chair. "She doesn't text _you, _does she?"

Kensi rolled her eyes. "Please. I don't think Hetty plays favorites. She likes us equally, for whatever reasons."

G raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Sam. "Have you been seeing Nate for more of his sessions, lately?"

"Funny."

The two went back and forth for a couple minutes, Dom and Sam watching with amused faces. Sam turned to the newer agent.

"Hetty may not have a favorite among us, but G does."

"What do you mean?" Dom looked up. Kensi and G stopped their bickering to listen.

Sam tilted his head to Kensi. "She's the favorite."

Dom looked at the junior agent, who threw a smirk his way. He glanced at Callen with a curious, but not jealous, face. "What made her the favorite?"

Kensi and Sam let out soft laughter, and G couldn't contain his smile.

"Well Dom, something you probably know about Kenz…" G leaned forward. "She takes crap from no one, and that includes us."

Dom's eyes shifted to Kensi, and he nodded. "Yeah, I knew that."

Sam nodded, taking up the story. "Well, when Kensi first joined, we weren't so nice to her."

Kensi shook her head. "Remember, I told you this, Dom. They had me going under houses, and into air vents, because I was-"

"The smallest one." Sam and G said in unison. Kensi's finger went in the air with a playful smirk at the two offending friends. G continued. "Well, really, we were just pushing her to see how much we could get away with."

Sam chuckled. "One day, we told her to check inside a crawl space that's opening was probably only three feet by three feet."

"But, that's a big opening for you guys too." Dom looked confused. Kensi nodded at him in a way that said _just wait. _

"Kenz took one look at the crawl space, looked at us, folded her arms, and told us that if we wanted that space checked, then we could do it ourselves." G paused and Dom assumed he was done.

"That's why she's your favorite?" He didn't get what was so … special about that situation. It seemed like more of a respect gainer.

"No," Kensi smiled sweetly. "They _kindly _told me to go watch upstairs, as the crawl space was in the basement, and that they'd handle it."

G grimaced. "I went into the space, and about three minutes later we heard a bunch of thuds and just loud noises coming from upstairs. By the time we got up there, Kenz had a cracked rib, but the guy she beat up-"

"Who was probably twice her size," Sam interjected.

G nodded, "Yeah, he was unconscious."

Dom watched as his friends seemed to go back to that time, all of their faces showing in some way how bad it could have gone.

_Guns drawn, the agents entered the empty house, checking the rooms. Everything was clear so far, but the basement had yet to be checked. The three went down, all coming to a stop at the same area. _

_Kensi looked on with knowing dread. They'd paused near a spot in the wall, a hole really, and she knew it had to be checked out. A girl was missing, and they couldn't leave anything unchecked, and they didn't want to take chances at the possibility of finding clues of some sort. _

_Despite the situation, she saw Sam and G share a grin ahead of her before turning around as one to look at the new agent. _

"_Kensi, why don't you check out the crawlspace, Sam and I will watch for anyone coming." G tilted his head towards the dark area that the lights couldn't quite reach. _

_Kensi's gaze hardened. She knew that it had to be looked at, but she also knew they were testing her, as they had been for every case that had that provided an opportunity. She crossed her arms defiantly. _

"_You want that place checked out?" She continued at their nod. "You check it. Or are you afraid of spiders?"_

_Sam's eyes narrowed, and both him and G had trouble hiding their slight amusement that she finally refused. _

"_Well then." G paused, attempting for dramatic effect. "You take watch upstairs. Sam, you take the crawlspace, I'll handle watching here." _

_Kensi turned on her heel, and on her way up the stairs she heard Sam and smirked._

"_I'm not going in there." _

_Kensi decided to stand on the stairs leading to the upper level of the house. She could see the front door, but would be out of anyone's view unless they came down behind her or turned a corner next to the stairs. There was also the advantage of seeing just out the top of the doors windows._

_Not too long after taking her position, Kensi saw a head outside the door just as it creaked open. She pointed her gun at the man, who definitely had a weight and height advantage on her. She crept down the stairs, but stood on the last one. He turned and looked at her in surprise right as she spoke. "Federal agent, stop right there."_

_Kensi saw his hand move, but didn't pull back fast enough. His arm darted out, knocking her gun away. She growled in frustration and jumped down the last step as he aimed another swipe at her side that would have sent her sprawling to the floor. She managed to land a blow to the side of his head just as he shoved her into the banister, hard enough to break it and make her crash into the wooden stairs. Kensi was sure she heard something crack, but focused on kicking the guys legs from under him. _

_As he fumbled to get up, Kensi punched him repeatedly in the face, blood covering her hands. She saw one of his hands that wasn't guarding his face reach for a weapon in his waistband, but she beat him to it and grabbed at his gun. _

"_Today is not your day, buddy." She whacked his on the head with the butt of the gun, and he quit struggling and went limp. _

_Kensi stood up with a grimace, glaring at the stairs, the man, her gun which was across the hallway, her side, as she was sure something was hurt there due to a large bruise and her slightly labored breathing. _

_Just as she had stood, Sam and Callen burst up the stairs, taking in the sight. They looked at her with incredulous expressions. _

"_What?" She snapped, but her voice was filled with innocence. _

"So anyway. They stopped making me do the small spaces thing. Became more protective. I assume it's because they felt bad, as it was pretty obvious I could take care of myself. Next day, I showed up for work, and when G walked in, he said…" Kensi paused to let Callen take over.

"How's my favorite agent?" He laughed. "Sam's face was priceless."

Dom nodded slowly. "What'd you say to that, Kensi?"

Everyone but Dom laughed, obviously remembering details.

"Well," Kensi tucked loose hair behind her ear. "I punched him for good measure, but then I told him it's a good thing he sent me upstairs instead of Sam, because it'd be unfair if he was the best friend _and _the favorite agent."


End file.
